


Hungry Hearts

by missfeministfangirl



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexuality, F/M, M/M, Minor Injuries, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-06 13:05:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missfeministfangirl/pseuds/missfeministfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>University!AU Ragnar the star quarterback asks nerdy hipstery history major Athelstan to help tutor him for their Comparative Religion exam. He becomes friends with Ragnar and his kickass Womens and Gender studies major girlfriend Lagertha and their lives begin to become entwined. Rated explicit for later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so this is the university au that no on asked for but which i am apparently writing anyway cus i have feels. This is probably be a little plotty in the beginning and then devolve into awesome threesome porn. Yes the title is Bruce, I’m in a Springsteen mood. Self betad. First of I don’t know how many chapters; I’ll try my hardest to update regularly but can’t promise anything.

Athelstan didn’t know quite how this had happened.

When Ragnar Lothbrok had approached him at the end of their Comparative Religion class, Athelstan had felt a veritable roller coaster of emotions. Nervousness was definitely there, after all Ragnar was the star quarterback of the university football team and Athelstan was, well, about as far from that as it was possible to be. Annoyance was there too; Athelstan didn’t know much about him, but he assumed he lived the pampered life all members of a beloved college football team did. As a starving history major, Athelstan’s life was pretty much the opposite of that. And he would have been a lying history major if he had said lust wasn’t mixed in with those other emotions in his initial reaction. Maybe if he had been in back in high school, before he had come to terms with his bisexuality, he might have tried to convince himself that the tall, muscled football player and his piercing blue eyes didn’t stir something in him, that his heart hadn’t fluttered just a bit when Ragnar had looked straight at him. But thankfully he was over that, and well, what was the point in denying that, even if he turned out to be just another football douche, Ragnar was pretty hot.

But the foremost emotion Athelstan felt as Ragnar walked up and started speaking to him was surprise. So much so that he completely missed the first thing Ragnar had said.

“Uh, pardon?”

“I said, you seem to know your stuff.…” Ragnar answered, clearly waiting for a name.

“Athelstan.” He said, belatedly holding his hand out.

“Ragnar.” The taller man answered, accepting the handshake, “Like I said, you seem to know your stuff. You answered like, almost every question.”

“Oh, yeah I guess” Athelstan said, ducking his head down.

“Listen, I didn’t do so hot on our last exam, and since we’ve got another one coming up next week, I was wondering if maybe you would be up for some tutoring. I’d pay you and everything. Sound good?”

“Oh, uh,---yeah. Sure.”

Ragnar gave him a smile, and clapped him on the shoulder, “Great! What’s your number? I’ll text you tomorrow and we can get together.”  And before Athelstan could utter so much as a “What the fuck.” they had exchanged numbers and Ragnar had walked away, leaving him standing in the emptying lecture hall.

Once Athelstan had tried surfing when he had been eleven and at the beach with his cousins. Emphasis on the once, because that one attempt had ended with him being flipped head over heels by a huge wave, and coughing up half the ocean on the beach. He was having a very similar feeling in the wake of his encounter with Ragnar. He found himself wondering if Ragnar had even needed him  to be part of the conversation.

He could certainly use the money though. He had tutored a few times last year, but usually for people he knew.

But money was money and even if Ragnar turned out to be just another dumb jock trying to buy the answers to the test, well, at least he would get paid.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Athelstan lived on the west side of campus in a house with five other guys. They were all, aside from him, Computer Science or Math majors, leading them to jokingly refer to the house as, “The Monastry” because clearly, none of them were getting laid. But aside from participating in the occasional Halo marathon he wasn’t really close with  any of them. He spent most of his time in his room, which was small but had two huge windows with a view of the big oak tree in the front yard and the busy street beyond. Athelstan was sitting on his bed looking out of it the next day when Ragnar texted him.

_Hey I have time 2 study if ur not busy_

_Sure_. He wrote back. _Where?_

_My place. Where do u live? I’ll pick u up._

In another ten minutes Ragnar pulled up outside. Athelstan had been expecting him to drive something flashy, an SUV with shiny rims and speakers loud enough to make the street shake. What he actually saw through the window was an obviously used but well cared for black sports car, probably from the 80’s or 90’s. It looked well-made but wasn’t at all ostentatious. In fact it looked pretty damn cool. The car gave two short honks. Athelstan grabbed his backpack, and his scarf and coat to guard against the still nippy March air and headed out the door.  

“Nice place.” Ragnar said as Athelstan opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. He wasn’t sure whether the tall blond meant it sarcastically or not so he simply said.

“Yeah, not really when you’re sharing it with five other guys.”

Ragnar chuckled as he pulled onto the road.

“Yeah I know what that’s like. I lived in the dorms freshman year and I tell ya, sharing a bathroom with twenty other guys is not fun.”

“You lived in the dorms?”

“Yeah. Why’re you so surprised” Ragnar asked as they stopped at a red light.

“Well…I’m just saying, it’s hard not to notice that football players get treated like gods at this school. I just figured dorm living wouldn’t be ideal for the high and mighty quarterback.”

“Do I detect some resentment?”

Athelstan hesistated. He didn’t want to lie but it seemed like Ragnar might be less likely to pay a guy who insulted his teammates and his beloved sport. He looked sideways at Ragnar for a moment and met his gaze; those piercing eyes didn’t seem to hold any anger.

“Well…kinda.” He finally admitted.

“I guess I can’t blame you.” Ragnar said with a smile, “A lot of the guys do act like idiots. But I don’t really buy into that stuff. I like playing football, but I do it for the scholarship, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to afford to go here.”

“Oh. So, you don’t wanna play professionally?”

Ragnar burst out in genuine laughter, a big, full throated sound that fills the car.

“God no. I like playing but---“ before he could finish he started laughing again, “I wouldn’t do it for a lot of reasons but mainly I think my girlfriend would kill me.”

“Why?”

“Oh, you’ll see. We live together, so you’ll get to meet her.”

“So, what do you want to do?” Athelstan asked, curious now.

“Write. I’m an English major. And I may not be the best at Comparative Religion, but I’ve got a 3.5 GPA in case you still thought I was a dumb jock.”

“No I didn’t think that…for very long.” They both laughed at that, “Sorry, “ Athelstan said, “I’m not  always the best with, ya know, words.”

“So definitely not an English major?”

“No. History.”

“Oh good, at least we’ll both be equally unemployable when we graduate.”

“Yeah, I look forward to seeing you in the unemployment line.”

By the time Ragnar pulled into the parking lot of an older looking apartment complex a few blocks north of campus Athelstan felt like his day had turned a 180. He’d expected a boring afternoon of studying with someone who probably wouldn’t even want to be there. Instead he was actually having—fun.

Ragnar’s apartment was on the third floor of a tidy brick building that looked like it had been around since the 1940’s, one of those ones with big windows and old fashioned fire escapes that were ripe for student living. When Athelstan walked in he could tell it was relatively small. Bigger than his own one room obviously, but it was just a living room, with a galley kitchen attached and through a door what he assumed must be the bedroom and bathroom. It wasn’t much, but it’s occupants had clearly tried to make their mark on the space, evidenced by the various posters and memorabilia scattered about. There was a worn gray couch opposite the T.V. and a full bookcase in the corner. Beside that was a record player and an organized collection of vinyl.

“Hey L, I’m back!” Ragnar shouted to the bedroom.

A girl emerged from it, tall and athletically built with long blonde hair in a braid down her back. She was gorgeous, but she added to all the surprises of the day by being nothing like what Athelstan expected the star quarterbacks girlfriend to be. She looked… well to be honest the only word that came to Athelstan’s mind was _kickass_. She had no makeup on except for a rim of dark eye liner around each blue eye. She wore a black Smiths t-shirt and a pair of bright purple skinny jeans. Her ears were pierced twice on both lobes and on the left one he could see a small silver hoop going through her cartilage.

“Athelstan this is my girlfriend Lagertha.”

She gave him a little wave.

“Hey. You can call me L is that’s too much of a mouthful.”

“Mines not any better,” Athelstan responded, “I’m sure I can handle it.”

Lagertha smiled.

“My mom’s Norwegian, what’s your excuse?”

“My dad really loves dead languages, including Old English.” Athelstan answered, shrugging.

Ragnar threw his bag down on the couch as Athelstan took a seat. He grabbed Lagertha from behind and gave her a quick kiss on the top of the head.

“Athelstan’s gonna make sure I don’t bomb another Comparative Religion exam.” He said, his arms still wrapped around her, his face pressed to her neck. Athelstan felt a small blush creep over his face and shifted his gaze to the arm of the couch.  

“Oh good.” Lagertha said, turning her head to look at Athelstan, “I was no help at all last time, being a godless atheist.” She unwrapped herself from Ragnar’s embrace, “I’ll just go chill and let you boys get to it.” She grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and took it into the bedroom.

“Wow,” said Athelstan, “She seems really cool.”

“Yep” said Ragnar with a proud smile on his face.  As they sat down on the couch a figure slinked out from behind the couch and then suddenly Athelstan had a lap full of black and white cat. It mewed at him and pushed into his hand, demanding petting.

“That’s Gyda.” Ragnar explained as he unpacked his books and settled on the other side of the couch, “Bjorn should be around here somewhere too, but he can be pretty anti-social.” As if summoned by his name, another cat, this one all black, emerged from the other side of the couch, gave them one disdainful look and scurried into the bedroom.

Gyda, on the other hand, seemed to think that Athelstan made an excellent place to sleep, and proceeded to do just that as he and Ragnar got down to studying. It was clear that Ragnar was a  smart guy but had just gotten a little confused during the first half of the semester. He was funny too; half of their time was spent studying, but the various antics of some of the more mischievous gods and goddesses provided ample fodder for Ragnar’s wit and provided more than their fair share of distraction. More than once they found themselves gasping for air, their textbooks forgotten between them.

They spent an hour or two going through material and by that time the sun had begun to set. Lagertha emerged from the bedroom and both cats perked up as she opened a couple of tins of cat food and filled their bowls. Then she came and perched beside Ragnar on the couch.

“I’m hungry. You wanna stay for dinner?” she asked Athelstan, “Neither of us can cook, but we’re really good at ordering takeout.”

Athelstan was tempted. Ragnar actually seemed really nice, Lagertha too, and he had been having fun. But in the moment he took to consider the question, he saw Ragnar reach his arm around Lagertha’s waist, his thumb brushing against a sliver of uncovered skin between her shirt and pants. It was intimate and suddenly Athelstan felt a bolt of heat rush through him and squirmed slightly in his seat.

“Um no I’m fine. I better be getting home actually.”

“Fair enough.” Said Ragnar,“I’ll drive you. I’ll be right back, L.”

The ride back was short and Ragnar dropped him off with a smile, twenty dollars for the tutoring and a promise to meet again sometime before the exam.

Athelstan was glad there didn’t seem to be anyone around in the common areas of the house as he came in and he hurried up to the privacy of his room.

Surely the feeling that had driven him from Ragnar and Lagertha’s apartment was just…awkwardness. Yes, that was it, he just felt like he was intruding. He felt like a third wheel and that could always be uncomfortable. That was what he had felt…and if there had beena  hint of ---pleasure mixed up with the awkwardness, well Lagertha and Ragnar seemed very sweet together. It wouldn’t be so weird to feel happy for a cute couple.

Yes, he just would have been intruding if he had stayed, he thought to himself as he gazed out of him small room into the empty, dark street.    

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lagertha and Athelstan get to know each other and there is dancing and David Bowie. Not much happens in this chapter but fear not there will be porn next time!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self betad as usual. Also I should have apologized before for turning Gyda and Bjorn into cats, but I'm not actually that sorry. Also I apologize now for the name of the bar, I actually am kinda sorry for that. And yes everyone is bi cus this is fanfic, and threesome fanfic, and cus i like it that way.

A day and a half later, on Friday, Athelstan was walking across campus he heard his name being called from somewhere behind him.

“Hey, Athelstan!”

He turned around and saw Lagertha striding towards him. She had on a sleek black leather jacket, a matching pair of combat boots and another pair of colorful jeans, blue this time.

“Hey man, whats up?”

“Oh nothing, I’m good.”

“I should thank you Ragnar had fun the other day. And learned something, more importantly.”

“Well, I had fun too. He’s a funny guy.”

“Yeah you should try living with him. It’s hilarious. Just not always on purpose.” She said, “Are you going to class?”

“No, just got out.”

“Good, you should come too lunch with me.”

“Oh, um…”

“Come on,” she urged with a look that, while friendly, brooked no argument, “You didn’t have dinner with us the other night, you’ve gotta let me fatten you up somehow.”

Athelstan relented and Lagertha took them to a little greek place off campus, near to her and Ragnar’s apartment. As they sat and waited for their food, Athelstan felt a little bit like he was being interrogated.

“So, you seem really good at all this religious stuff.” Lagertha commented.

“Well, to be fair I have a head start, at least as far as Christianity goes. My dad’s a preacher.”

Lagertha’s eyes lit up with mirth.

“Ooooh. Son of a preacher man huh? Sexy.”

“Not really. It’s usually more like sex _less w_ ith me.”

“Aw, so there’s no special lady or gentleman in your life?”

Athelstan laughed.

“No. No. Neither.”

Their food came and for a moment they were both lost in a delicious cacophony of fresh pita and hummus and feta cheese and falafel.  When they had finished taking their first few bites and making appreciative noises, Lagertha looked at him.

“You said neither. Does that mean you’re one of us?”

“One of who?”

“I mean, are you bi?”

“Oh---yeah. What did you mean by ‘us’?”

“Me and Ragnar! I prefer queer, but bi fits the bill well enough. Wow, I bet papa preacher was not happy.”

Athelstan looked out the window for a moment to avoid her knowing gaze, remembering his dad’s face when he had come out his senior year of highschool. The silence that had filled the house afterwards.

“Yep. ‘Not happy’ would about cover it.” He said bitterly. Lagertha’s mouth turned down in sympathy.

“ That sucks man. I know that whole daddy issue thing. You wanna hear a story that’ll make you feel better.”

“Sure.” Athelstan said around a bite of pita.

“So my dad’s one of those rich, country club types, you know polo shirts and golf on the weekends with his buddies. And his country club was doing some bullshit debutante ball thing where all the girls would get to be paraded around like fucking Barbie dolls. And I absolutely refused to go, so he grounded me for a month because apparently I’d humiliated the family and what would the neighbors think and blah blah blah. But I got the last laugh.”

“How?” Athelstan asked, curious now.

“Well, I knew my dad wouldn’t be there, so I snuck into the ball and seduced a debutante. Nice girl.”

Athelstan burst out laughing: Lagertha just looked so proud of herself. She soon joined him, a pleased smiled spread across her face.

“Did your dad find out?” he asked.

“No. Not yet at least. I’m saving little gem for a special day.”

After that they finished their meal, talking about broader topics. Athelstan found out she was a Womens and Gender Studies major(“I know, big shocker” she joked). He also found out that they had similar taste in music, and they ended up sitting in front of empty plates comparing various bands and albums. Athelstan felt like he could have sat and talked to her for the entire afternoon, so much so that he almost missed his next class.

“I gotta go,” he said apologizing, “but I’ll be over to study with Ragnar later.”

“Awesome.”

Athelstan found himself distracted during his afternoon Imperial Chinese History seminar, thinking about blonde hair in the noonday sun, and looking forward to his study session with Ragnar later.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

Later in the day Athelstan walked over to Lagertha and Ragnar’s apartment and found himself with a happy, floaty feeling in his stomach as he knocked on the door.

He and Ragnar fell into the same rhythm they had previously, spending half their time studying and the other half joking around. This time Lagertha sat near them at their small breakfast table working on her laptop. Gyda made Athelstan her own personal pillow again, while Bjorn lurked behind the T.V., creeping out occasionally to meow grumpily at the intruder. Eventually Lagertha picked him up and set him on her lap where he seemed more content.

“Don’t worry,” she said to Athelstan, “he’s always been anti-social. When we first got him home from the shelter he hid under the bed for a week.”

“How’d you get him out?”

“Food!” She said, stroking Bjorn between the ears.

“I’ll remember that.” Athelstan laughed.

After much prodding Athelstan stayed for dinner this time. It felt nice to sit back and listen to the couple talk about their days, trading little sarcastic jabs back and forth.  He couldn’t help but relax in their presence.

“Hey we were gonna go out tonight, you should come with us Athelstan.” Lagertha said while nibbling on her pizza crust.

“Yeah” Ragnar chimed in, “It’s just this bar down the street, but it should be fun.”

Athelstan ducked his head, feeling the same skittish feeling he had the other night, the same feeling that he might be intruding. But it was more than that it felt---

“Um, I don’t know…” he answered hesitantly.

“Come on, do you have something better to do?”

And that was it: he knew he didn’t. He thought back to his lonely room at the house and knew there was nothing waiting for him that was as exciting, nothing that made him feel the way the two people sitting next to him did.

“Yeah, ok.” He relented.

Ragnar gave a whoop of victory and wrapped his arm around Athelstan’s shoulder.

“Let’s do it!” he said.

The bar, a few blocks down from the apartment, proved to be a small indie watering hole in a older building which was dwarfed by the ones beside it. A neon sign above the bright red door declared it _The Valhalla Bar._ Inside, the bar was busy, a band playing on a small stage in the back with a small dance floor in front where a crowd was dancing.

It was a Friday night, the lights were low, the atmosphere was happy and as the trio sat drinking at the bar Athelstan found himself happier than he could remember being in a long time.

Suddenly Ragnar bounced off of his bar stool and hurried out onto the dance floor, pulling Lagertha behind him by the hand. Lagertha rolled her eyes at Athelstan as if to say, “the things I put up with” but went with him anyway. The band was playing a slow song, and couples flocked to the floor, dancing close in a mess of limbs.

In his slightly buzzed state Athelstan leaned back and allowed himself to watch them. He could see them whispering to each other as they swayed in time. They made a great couple, so perfectly matched, so in tune. They were…beautiful together….

The song ended and there was a lull as the band chatted with the crowd and decided what to play next. Lagertha looked over at him and caught his eye before going up to the stage and saying something Athelstan couldn’t hear to the lead singer.

The beginning riff of Suffragette City echoed throughout the bar, a song that he and Lagertha had both gushed over at lunch. Lagertha ran back to Ragnar on the dance floor and then crooked a finger at Athelstan, beckoning him. Before he could refuse, Ragnar came back to the bar, took his hand and lead him to them. Lagertha winked at him. Maybe it was the vodka tonics he’d had, maybe it was the relief of the end of the week, or maybe it was the people he was with, but he relented and danced and when he fell asleep he felt their bodies around him and heard the song reverberating in his head.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter there is a sleepy, slightly drunk Athelstan, and then a flumoxed, confused, sexually frustrated Athelstan. Guess what happens in between!
> 
> Also I promised porn in this chapter, and there is, but it’s not THE porn. That will probs be next chapter, sorry. 
> 
> Also, I feel like this chapter feels a bit fast, so sorry for that too. I just wanted to get past confused!Athelstan to readyforsexytimes!Athelstan

Athelstan had two exams on Monday, the one in Comparative Religion and another for his Imperial Chinese history class so he was up late on Sunday studying. Ragnar sat down next to him in Religion, wished him luck and gave him a wink as the exams were handed out.

 Athelstan thought he did pretty well. Ragnar, who had finished a few minutes earlier than he had was waiting for him outside the classroom.

“I definitely aced that. Thanks man.” He said with a fist bump that Athelstan returned.

“Don’t thank me until we get the exam back.”

But it turned out that Ragnar’s thanks were not premature. When he and Athelstan got back their tests on the following Friday both passed with flying colors. They walked out of class together, Ragnar practically singing about how great an academic team they made.

“We should celebrate man!” he declared What are you doing the rest of the day?”

“I’ve got one more class in the afternoon, but after than I’m done.”

“Great, you should come over tonight. Food, drinking, movies it’ll be fun.”

“Sounds awesome.” Athelstan said with none of the hesitation he had had before. As we walked to lunch he wondered why he had ever felt so unsure of himself when it came to Ragnar and Lagertha. He had fun with them, and they didn’t seem to mind him being a third wheel; occasionally he would catch them in an awkward moment, but they were always short: a long intimate look between the two, a secret touch that he was sure he wasn’t meant to see.  But when that happened he would just look away and the next second Ragnar would be telling them a story about some idiotic thing his teammates had done during practice, or Lagertha would tease Athelstan back out of his shell and everything felt like normal.

When he went to their apartment that night he was greeted by the smell of Mexican food.

“Hey! We ordered for you, hope you don’t mind.” Lagertha said, presenting him with a Styrofoam box full of chicken quesadilla and tortilla chips.

“And movie night has turned into rewatch Game of Thrones night.” Ragnar declared, bending down in front of the DVD player.

“Always ok with me” Athelstan answered.

Dinner was eaten quickly and soon they were sitting, beers in hand, watching the adventures of Ned Stark.

One episode succeeded another, because you don’t just watch one episode of Game of Thrones, and halfway through their third episode Athelstan felt himself drifting off. The drone of the T.V. and the comfortable back and forth between Lagertha and Ragnar as they watched, plus the four beers he’d had soon had him struggling to keep his eyes open. Spending most of last night studying for two exams had caught up to him. Sure enough a few minutes later he found himself leaning against the armrest, telling himself he just needed to rest his eyes.

He woke up briefly a little while later, just for a moment. His mind pulled itself out of sleep and when he opened his eyes he could see Lagertha and Ragnar sitting on the opposite end of the couch. For a flash he watched them as Ragnar bent to kiss Lagertha’s neck. Her eyes were still on the T.V. but her hand rested on his thigh, her nails digging into it. For a second he thought he saw her gaze flicker toward him. But then sleep pulled him back under.

The next time he woke the room was dark, he was stretched across the entire couch and the first thing he knew was that he really, really had to pee.

The luminous clock on the cable box told him it was 1:10 am. Lagertha and Ragnar must have gone to sleep and left him curled up on the couch.

The door to the bedroom was ajar and Athelstan stood groggily. He didn’t want to wake them, but his bladder was insistent. He would just sneak in, use the toilet and head home, he told himself.

He decided all this very quickly and was still half asleep as he opened the bedroom door all the way.

And then a few things happened seemingly all at once.

The first thing that happened was that as he took a step into the room he heard movement and breathing from the bed.

The second thing was that he looked toward the sound and saw Lagertha and Ragnar, both completely naked, Lagertha straddling Ragnar, his hands possessively cupping her ass as she moved sinuously against him.

The third thing was that all the blood in Athelstan’s body rushed to his cock. Not surprisingly.

The fourth and most important thing that happened was that, as a result of the above things, Athelstan let out what he could later only describe a combination groan/gasp/whimper. In fact he didn’t think there was a proper word for the sound he made, but he made it.

Which led to the fifth thing happening, which was that Ragnar and Lagertha turned to look at him. And instead of any of the reactions Athelstan would have expected, Lagertha let out a low laugh, looked him right in the eye and asked,

“Want to join us?”

Despite her light tone he could tell she was completely serious. Ragnar just looked at him expectantly, still stroking Lagertha’s thighs. And their sincerity was what made him run.

He scrambled out of the apartment, grabbing his keys and his phone off the couch and not looking back. He completely forgot about his desperate need to pee as he practically ran across the dark campus towards home. It was spring and there was still a bite to the air but his face felt like it was on fire, and it seemed to be spreading, creeping down his neck and his chest and lower to the pit of his stomach. If someone had asked what route he had taken to get back he wouldn’t have been able to tell them, the walk home was a blur of alternating shawdows and street lamp light. When he finally got home he hurried up the stairs and to his room and then on second though went to the communal bathroom where he took a piss and promptly collapsed onto the ground, leaning against the tub.

He tried to collect his thoughts, tried to figure out why and how---but his entire body felt flushed and god he was still half hard. He jumped up and turned on the shower. He stripped and stepped under the hot spray.

He braced himself against the tiled wall and closed his eyes, letting the images from that one moment he had glimpsed play behind them. It had felt like a lifetime but in reality he had only seen them for a few seconds in the darkness of their bedroom. But he remembered: he remembered Lagertha’s curves, the movement of her thighs; he remembered the long muscled stretch of Ragnar’s chest that he had glimpsed, how strong his hands looked guiding Lagertha. And what he couldn’t remember he could imagine.

He took his cock in his hand, stroking himself as he imagined the things he hadn’t been able to see: Ragnar’s cock, stiff and flushed, Lagertha’s breasts, her nipples pink and waiting to be sucked.  What if he had said yes? What if he had joined them the way it seemed they wanted him to. But it’s fucking crazy a small voice in his head said, but it was quicky shushed by the rest of his brain which trying hard to imagine what it would feel like to be between them, Ragnar’s muscled weight pressed against his back, Lagertha strong, yet soft underneath him---

He came, turning his face up into the water, letting it run down his face  and clear his head as the itch of sexual frustration eased out of him as he came down.

He washed himself off and crept back to his room in just his briefs. He tossed his clothes on the ground and sat at the edge of his bed, running his hands over his face trying to figre out the pit of confusion that his life had become. In the silence of early morning he suddenly heard a low humming. He looked around, perplexed, until he realized it was coming from his back pants pocket. His phone.

He took is out and unlocked the screen to find that he had a handful of anxious texts waiting for him. Most of them were from Ragnar:

_Athelstan?_

_Text us when you get home safe. Please._

_We’re sorry. Please just talk to us._

The other two were from a number he didn’t recognize but which he soon realized it must have been Lagertha’s.

_A? I’m so sorry, that was stupid._

_You probably need space now, but we should talk about this face to face. Come by tmrw? Pls?_

Athelstan sighed. He was now regretting his impulsive masturbatory adventure in the shower. It had cleared his head slightly but it had only made him more confused about what he wanted or what they wanted, or what had even happened.

He grabbed his phone, crawled under the covers and began typing a quick message.

_Am home. Will come by tmrw after lunch. Need to sleep._

And he did. The late hour had finally caught up with him but more importantly he needed to sleep to try and get his head straight.

His phone vibrated once more. It was a message from Lagertha.

_goodnight_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> our ot3 finally gets together. Self betad as usual.

When Athelstan woke late the next day he had a lot of questions. Granted, he had had a lot of questions last night, but at least now they were clearer. As he picked at a breakfast he didn’t taste he contemplated  all the things he might ask Ragnar and Lagertha.

Had they been serious last night? Or had it just been a spur of the moment invitation made half-jokingly?

And if they were serious then what were they serious about? Did they just want a one time threesome?

And what did he want? I mean, clearly he wasn’t averse to the general principle if his private shower time last night was any indication. How would that even work? He didn’t want to lose them as friends, but if they crossed that line didn’t they run that risk? Would it be worth it for one night?

He spent most of the rest of his morning trying to think about how you greeted two people who had propositioned you for a threesome the night before but neither his brain nor the internet seemed to have any satisfactory answers.

So when he knocked on their door a little afternoon he had nothing prepared and no idea what to expect.

It was Lagertha who opened the door, Ragnar behind her.

“Hi.” Athelstan said. Surely you couldn’t go wrong with ‘hi’.

“Hey.” She answered. And then she surged forward to wrap him in a hug. The next minute Athelstan felt Ragnar’s arms covering both of them, holding Lagertha from behind.

They stepped back after a moment and let him inside.

“I’m glad you came.” Lagertha, “What we did last night was stupid, and we’re so sorry, we should have known you would freak out---“

“Were you serious?’ Athelstan interrupted.

They looked at each other before Ragnar answered.

“Yes.”

“But we went about it totally the wrong way. We just—we started talking about it after you fell asleep and we, got a little carried away.”

Athelstan’s eyes went wide, “Have you guys talk about… _that_ …before?”

Ragnar shrugged and had the grace to look at least a little sheepish.

“Yeah.”

“With me?”

“Yeah.”

Athelstan swallowed.

“And…when you talk about it is it just…a one night thing?”

Lagertha reached out for his hand and for a moment he wanted to back away, to run from them all over again.  The last time he had run like that, it had been from his father, from the rejection and the brooding silence of their house after he had come out. He had run to a college so far away he would only have to come back home for Christmas and summer. He had run and he hadn’t looked back because he had been afraid.

But he didn’t want to be afraid of this, didn’t want to be afraid of the consequences, didn’t want to let his fear of losing them get in the way. He didn’t want to run.

His hand met Lagertha’s, their fingers intertwining. She smiled at the gesture.

“No,” she said, “not just a one night thing.”

Something sung between the three of them for a moment and the sense of possibility almost made Athelstan dizzy. He let go of Lagertha and sank down onto the couch. Ragnar and Lagertha followed. Seeing that Athelstan was a little overwhelemed, Ragnar reached in front of Lagertha and rested him hand on Athelstan’s thigh.

“I know this is totally new and a little weird, but I have an idea. We should just treat this like any other relationship. So Athelstan, would you like to go out on a date with me---and my girlfriend?”

This startled a laugh out of Athelstan but when he thought about it, a date sounded—nice. Going out with them, hanging out in a romantic way, as more than just friends, maybe it would help them all get used to the idea. He placed his hand on top of Ragnar’s,

“That sounds really good actually.”

Lagertha agreed placing her hand on top of theirs,

“It sounds awesome.”

“Are we like the three muskateers now or something?” Athelstan joked, nodding to their overlapping hands. They laughed, separating their hands from the pile.

“Yes!” Ragnar declared, “But hopefully with more making out.”

“Are you suggesting there was no making out between the original muskateers?” Lagertha asked

\--------------------------------------------------

They decided on Monday night, since none of them had classes until the afternoon on Tuesdays(and the implication that he might be sleeping over had Athelstan very distracted during the intervening time). Ragnar didn’t say anything about it during class on Monday until they were walking out of the building into the spring sunshine,

“Excited for tonight?” he asked with a wink.

“Yeah.” Athelstan answered truthfully.

“Good, you should be. I clean up nice.”

“Looking forward to seeing it.” Athelstan said as they parted.

Later, a half an hour before Lagertha and Ragnar were supposed to pick him up, Athelstan was starting to fear he wouldn’t be able to say as much for himself. He had gone through about seven different outfits and put multiple hair gels, mousses and pastes into his hair trying to get it to cooperate, but it seemed reluctant. Finally he gave up on his hair and settled on a blue v-neck shirt which he thought brought out his eyes, and a pair of skinny jeans which, he admitted, might have been a little on the tight side. But damn it they made his ass look good! And it had been a long time since he had needed his ass to look good.

When 7 o’clock rolled around and the doorbell rang, Athelstan gave himself a final once over, grabbed his wallet and keys and went downstairs. Two of his housemates were on the couch in the living room, but luckily both of them were too focused on playing Call of Duty to wonder why two people were at the door when Athelstan was dressed in date clothes.

Ragnar, true to his word, did clean up well. Athelstan opened the door to see him standing on the front step in a simple pair of jeans and a red plaid shirt, rolled up at the sleeves to show off his forearms.

Lagertha was the real surprise. She wore a simple black dress, something Athelstan had never seen her in, although she had offset it was her usual leather jacket and combat boots and a pair of green tights.

“A dress!’ Athelstan exclaimed, “You didn’t have to do that.” But Lagertha just shrugged.

“I wanted to.”

They hopped in Ragnar’s car and as Athelstan settled down in the back seat, Lagertha turned around and let her eyes roam over him.

“You look very _nice_.”

“I don’t think nice quite covers it.” Ragnar said with a smirk. Athelstan went red.

They ate dinner at a little Italian restaurant downtown and talked about the things people normally talk about on first dates. Athelstan felt his earlier nervousness fade away. He felt safe and comfortable balanced between these two people. He could do this. He could allow himself this happiness.

After dinner they went to the movies and left it up to Lagertha what they would see. She chose a romantic indie flick, the tale of two girls in love, but who were hindered by their own neurosis and modern day angst. Athelstan enjoyed it, but found himself distracted by the people sitting on either side of him.

Since it wasn’t a blockbuster the theatre was relatively empty and the threesome sat near the back. About halfway through the movie Athelstan felt Ragnar stretch his arm around him and shift closer. Athelstan turned to him so that they were almost nose to nose and although he was turned away from her, he could feel Lagertha’s eyes on them.

In the time leading up to this date Athelstan had felt a little dazed by the prospect of being with these two beautiful people. But in that moment he wanted to nothing more than to  rush wholeheartedly into their arms.

He leant in and brushed their lips together. Ragnar’s lips were warm, and his beard slightly scratchy, but the sudden swipe of his tongue more than made up it. Athelstan opened to him, happily letting him suck his tongue, sinking into the beautiful slickness of their mouths melding together.

Then he felt Lagertha begin running a hand up and down his thigh, brushing close to his growing hardness and he barely stopped himself from letting out a groan. As it was Ragnar must have felt him tense up because he pulled away and looked at him and Lagertha.

“Home?” he asked and was greeted with a chorus of enthusiastic nods.

Ragnar had to focus on driving on the way home, but Lagertha didn’t and seemed determined to get her own make out time in with Athelstan. They sat in the back seat pressed against one another. Lagertha’s kisses were faster, more fiery, her lips devouring, her breath coming fast against his own. And Athelstan was sure he saw Ragnar’s eyes shift to the rear view mirror whenever they stopped at a red light to watch them.

They rushed upstairs to the apartment when they arrived and Ragnar closed and locked the door before pushing Athelstan against it to kiss him again, this time pressing the entire length of his body up against Athelstan’s. Athelstan pulled back, knowing he had to say one more thing before this went any further.

“Um…you all should know. I’m a virgin.”

Lagertha, who had been watching them while working on getting her jacket and boots off, paused and then nodded,

“Ok. Tell us what you like. And what you don’t like.”

“I will. Although so far it’s definitely all ‘like’---You guys are really cool with it?”

“Of course,” Ragnar said linking his finger’s with Athelstan’s, “We’ll take things slow. And simple.”

“Starting with a lot more nakedness?” Lagertha asked looking hopefully between the two of them as she wriggled out of her tights.

“Yes, please!” Ragnar replied.

They moved to the bedroom shedding clothes as they went. When they were all naked and Athelstan got to see the bodies that had only been hinted at that night in the dark he felt his reptilian hind brain go a little crazy. Images and possibilities flooded his imagination and it was only when Ragnar and Lagertha pulled him to them and pressed both their mouths to his that he snapped out of it.

Threesome kisses, Athelstan quickly found out, were kind of glorious. They were sunlight and all his favorite guitar riffs and snow on your tongue; they were messy and nose-bumpingly uncoordinated in the best ways, and being able to touch both of them at once more than made up for it.

They toppled onto the bed and their mouths left his as Ragnar kissed his way down Athelstan’s stomach. Athelstan turned to his right to mouth at soft skin of Lagertha’s neck and work his way to her breasts. He flicked his tongue over one of her nipples, then sucked it just as he had imagined doing that night in the shower. Except his imagination hadn’t supplied the taste of her skin, or the breathy moans she was letting out, or the additional feeling of Ragnar nibbling gently at the skin of his thigh. When he felt his lips brush against the head of his cock, Athelstan pulled away to gasp. He looked down at Ragnar, his mouth poised above him. When he looked down the quarterback's sculpted body he could see Ragnar was hard too.

“Ready?” Ragnar asked.

Athelstan nodded.

Ragnar licked a long stripe up his hardness and Athelstan fell back on the bed, digging his fingers into the sheets. Ragnar closed his mouth around the tip of his cock, sucking as he began working him deeper and deeper.

“Touch her,” Ragnar suggested when he came up for air, nodding at Lagertha, who had a hand working between her thighs.

Athelstan skimmed his knuckles over her stomach before reaching down between her lips. She was already soaking wet and he felt a surge of arousal at the fact that he was one of the reasons why.

He teased her, circling her entrance, running his fingers slowly up and down the sides of her cunt.  Growing impatient, she guided him up to her clit so he could press against it, making her moan and thrust against him.

“Is she wet?” Ragnar asked after another luxurious suck.

“Fuck yes.” Athelstan replied

“Does he feel good between your thighs, L?”

“God, so good,--uh his fingers are—ahhh!”

He felt suspended between them, connected to Ragnar through his mouth, to Lagertha through the warm slickness on his fingers. When he looked his body at Ragnar and saw that the other man had taken himself in hand and was thrusting into his fist as he swallowed around Athelstan’s cock. Athelstan turned and pressed his face into Lagertha’s shoulder, gasping his release into her skin as he came.

Ragnar pulled off, stroking Athelstan as he came over his stomach. Ragnar followed him over the edge, stroking his cock and kissing the V of Athelstan’s hip as he did.

Lagertha was still flushed and panting, although their little show had clearly pushed her closer and closer.

‘”Please---”she murmured

Ragnar smiled up at Athelstan who was lying back, still limp and happily strung out from his orgasm. Ragnar moved them so Lagertha was on her back, her legs thrown around his shoulders. Athelstan turned toward them and watched as Ragnar lapped at her, using his tongue to take her apart. Athelstan pushed himself up so he could suck at one of her nipples again. She buried one hand in his hair and tangled the other with Ragnar’s where it held her thigh. Ragnar wordlessly held out a glistening finger to Athelstan who eagerly sucked it into his mouth, treasuring the taste. Lagertha came seconds later, her whole body arching towards Ragnar’s mouth.

For a moment they collapsed into one big sweaty puppy pile. It was Ragnar who finally took it upon himself to get up and clean them all up.

Once things were a little less messy he crawled in next to Athelstan and Lagertha, dragging the covers over them. Athelstan found himself sandwiched between them, Ragnar curled around his back and Lagertha pressed against his front. She smiled at him.

“So, still liking everything?”

“ 'Like' doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“Do you feel deflowered?” Ragnar joked.

“Thoroughly. Although there are still lots of things I haven’t tried. I think we should continue with the deflowering, if you guys don’t mind.”

“I think we can arrange that.” Lagertha replied.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning after fluff and smut. Fluffy smut. Flmut; Smuff. Whatevs you get the idea. Also Rollo is a frat douche sorry not sorry. Self betad as usual

Athelstan woke up to the overwhelming feeling of warmth. He began to stretch out and immediately got caught up in a tangle of limbs and bare skin. When he shifted he could feel an arm across his chest, and at least two legs entwined with his own.

When he finally pried his eyes open he could see two bodies on either side of him illuminated by the early morning light. Lagertha and Ragnar were each sprawled in various positions across the bed(and across him). He lay there for a moment enjoying the ridiculous absurdity of waking up with these people, letting himself fully wake up while he watched them sleep. But soon his stomach growled, demanding food.

It took a few minutes to extricate himself without waking either of them up, but eventually he managed it. When he hopped out of bed he noticed Bjorn sitting in the doorway and he could swear the cat was glaring at him.

“Don’t judge me.” He murmured, feeling patently ridiculous talking to a cat. He retreated to the  bathroom to take a shower before breakfast.

The warm water felt good, although he was almost reluctant to wash the smell of sweat and sex off his skin that still lingered from last night.

When he was done he came back out and searched through his discarded clothes to find his underwear and put it on. Ragnar stirred on the bed and greeted him,

“Mornin’” he said in a scratchy voice. He held out a hand and Athelstan let himself be pulled in for a sleepy kiss. He fell back down and Athelstan left him to rest.

The fridge was fairly empty but luckily there were enough bacon and eggs for all three of them so Athelstan started cooking some. As he stood at the stove the cats came over to investigate the smell of sizzling bacon. They looked up at him expectantly so he picked a piece out of the package and tore off a bit to feed to Gyda. Before he fed a bit to Bjorn he looked at the feline sternly.

“Just so you know, this means we’re friends. Got it? No more glaring.” Bjorn sniffed at the bacon tentatively and then gobbled it up with a reluctantly appreciative meow.

Athelstan piled the food onto a couple of plates and set it all out on the table. As he was digging into his own portion with gusto, Lagertha entered in her underwear and a loose fitting tank top.

“You made breakfast?” she asked, nodding to the two other plates.

“Yeah, I was hungry so—“

“Oh my god, I’m gonna hug you now.” She proclaimed and proceeded to do just that, climbing onto Athelstan’s lap to wrap her arms around him. She turned around and took a bite of egg off his plate.

“Mmmm. You’re my new favorite. Ragnar, Athelstan is my new favorite you’re out!” She yelled back to the bedroom.

“Awwww, why?” Ragnar asked, his voice still clearly muffled by sheets.

“He made breakfast!”

“What?!” Ragnar replied sounding as though someone had juts promised to buy him a brand new Porsche. He appeared in the doorway and looked adoringly at the plate of eggs and bacon, and then at Athelstan.

“Thanks man!”

Lagertha moved to the couch with her own plate and they had a lazy breakfast. Athelstan was hungry and finished quickly as did Lagertha while Ragnar lingered over his, stealing some extra uneaten bacon off of Athelstan’s plate. Lagertha coaxed Athelstan onto the couch until she was on her back leaning against the arm rest with him between her open legs. He began brushing his lips against hers.

“How long do you have till class?” she asked breathlessly.

He glanced at the clock. It was still relatively early and he didn’t have class till 1.

“I’ve got some time.” He answered raising an eyebrow, “Do you have an idea about how to pass that time?”

Lagertha just smiled and started kissing him again. As their tongues glided against one another he felt her wriggle against him and shimmy out of her panties. Athelstan had an idea of where she wanted this to go and it had him growing hard.

He pulled down the top of her tank top enough to kiss her breasts briefly, to bury his face between them.  She pulled the top off to help ease his way so he could move his mouth to her stomach. She giggled as he nipped at her sides and the firm muscle of her belly. As he moved further down her giggles changed to sighs. He paused right above the soft triangle of hair at the juncture of her thighs and breathed her in. She threw a leg over one of his shoulders and he took the hint, parting her with his thumbs. He remembered seeing Ragnar do this same thing last night, remembered the tantalizing taste he had been given.

He licked lightly at first, short flicks along her whole length. She was warm on his tongue and tasted sweet and salty. He loved the way his tongue made her moan, loved how every twitch and flick could make her hips surge up against him, could make her hands grip his shoulder and the back of his neck, her nails digging into his skin in a way that made him practically purr against her.

It took him a moment to realize Ragnar was behind him, his lips on Athelstan’s neck.

“Stay right there, don’t make her come yet…’ he murmured.

Athelstan pulled back, dazed and Lagertha let out a whimper. He soothed her by placing kisses on the inside of her thighs.

Ragnar came back a moment later with a bottle of lube in hand and came to stand where Athelstan had his ass pushed up in the air. He hadn’t even realized he’d assumed the position, but now that he did he flushed.

“Don’t worry. Just gonna make you feel good. I won’t go too far. Ok?” he asked, squeezing some lube onto his palm. Athelstan nodded and his cock, which had already been hard from using his mouth on Lagaertha, twitched when Ragnar pulled his briefs down around his knees.

The bigger man ran a lubed thumb up and down the crease of Athelstan’s ass and circled his hole. Athelstan groaned against Lagertha.

True to his word, Ragnar didn’t go far. He circled a finger around and around Athelstan’s entrance as he continued to taste Lagertha, as he slipped his tongue as far as he could into her, as he finally made his way up to clit, sucking it, teasing it. When Ragnar finally breached him he was relaxed and wet and had Lagertha’s clit in his mouth so she felt the whimper he let out.

“Is he inside you?” she asked

Athelstan simply nodded, unwilling to give up the feel of her against his tongue and probably unable to form words in general.

He felt Lagertha tense and he was sure she was watched Ragnar and trying to see what his finger was doing. He sped u his mouth and she was moaning his name, her hips fucking up against his mouth as she came.

She lay back limp, and pushed him gently away. Ragnar had not been idle, working his finger further inside till he could curl it and making Athelstan see stars and push back against him. His finger began moving faster and faster, in and out, thrusting into him as he drove back against it.

Lagertha moved down so they were face to face with Athelstan above her and took hold of his cock.

It felt like a perfect chaotic conflagration of pleasure, being between the two of them touched inside and out, with Lagertha’s cum still on his mouth and he came.

After having to take another shower Athelstan finally got dressed. He was fully clothed and gathering up his things when there was a knock on the door.

Ragnar opened the door to dark haired man about the same height as him and with similar features. The stranger had a shirt with the greek letters of a fraternity and a pair of khaki shorts on.

“Oh, hey Rollo.” Ragnar said letting the man in, he didn’t seem exactly unhappy to see him but he didn’t seem too enthused either. As Rollo entered he eyed Athelstan.

“Athelstan, this is Rollo, my brother, Rollo this is Athelstan.”

“Hi.” Athelstan offered

“Yeah, whatever.” Rollo said waving him off and turning back to Ragnar, “Listen man, we’re having this massive keger tonight over at the house you should totally come.”

As Ragnar declined and Rollo continued to try and convince him, Lagertha caught Athelstan’s eye and mouthed two words at him. Athelstan was confused for a moment before she pointed to Rollo’s shirt and she realized she had mouthed, “ _frat douche”_. He had to stifle a laugh.

As much as he would have liked to have seen Rollo and Lagertha square off(and by that he meant watch Lagertha completely dominate him as he had no doubt she would) he had to go home and change into fresh clothes and get to class.

“I gotta go,” he said, edging around the brothers towards the door, “but I’ll um…see you guys later?” he said to Ragnar and Lagertha.

There was a moment of awkwardness between the three of them. He suspected they would have wanted to give him a more passionate goodbye had they been alone, especially after their first night together. But they weren’t. And for a second Athelstan resigned himself to this. It didn’t matter. He would see them later, it wasn’t that big a deal.

But then Ragnar seemed to make a decision and stepped past his brother to the doorway. He held Athelstan’s face in his hands and kissed him. It wasn't anything special, but it bloomed and spread inside him like a flower. Lagertha stepped up and did the same, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she did.

Athelstan almost burst out laughing at the stunned look on Rollo’s face. He should have felt embarrassed, to have this strange new relationship laid open in front of a stranger. But knowing that the other two didn’t care what that stranger thought made him forget his embarrassment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just porn because why not. Also i know football is like a cold weather fall/winter sport but lets pretend it isn’t because i plan on using the football game later for some plotiness. self betad

Two days later was one of the first really hot day of the year. After only a week for two of spring it had been getting hotter and hotter. It seemed that summer had finally settled over the university and as Athelstan lay in bed writing an essay his phone vibrated. It was a text from Lagertha.

_Help! Our a/c is busted! Can we come over to your place until the repair guy comes?_

A second later another one came, this time from Ragnar,

_We’ll be sweaty and very, very grateful ;)_

Athelstan smiled to himself

_Lol of course, I’m not doing anything, come on over_

Lagertha texted back almost immediately

_Thank you! You remain my absolute favorite <3_

By the time the doorbell rang and Athelstan took them up to his room he had cleaned up a little bit and even set aside two glasses of ice cold lemonade. Lagertha and Ragnar waited until they were behind the closed door to each kiss him hello. Then Ragnar’s eyes lighted on the cool drinks.

“This is awesome man!” he said, emptying the glass in one long swig, “Our place is horrible, its like a sauna.”

“Do you know what happened?”

Lagertha shrugged.

“It’s a window air conditioner and we haven’t used it since last year and when we turned it on today it just kind of died. Someone’s gonna come and try to fix it in a couple of hours”

“That sucks. Well, my cool air is your cool air.”

The plopped down on the bed, with Athelstan sitting propped up at the head, Ragnar lying down next to him, and Lagertha sitting cross legged at their feet sipping her lemonade. As he and Lagertha chatted about the hot weather and how it meant that the end of the semester and exams were approaching, Ragnar stretched out and slowly fell into a snooze. Lagertha put her empty glass down and looked at him fondly.

“They’ve been pushing him really hard at practice.” She said with a sigh.

“Why?”

“They’ve got a game coming up. Hey you should come with me, at least that way I’ll have another non-sporty person to commiserate with.”

“I would love to stand around looking awkward and out of place at a football game with you.” Athelstan replied.

“Yay!” Lagertha crawled into his lap so he could pull her into a hug.

Athelstan let his hands roam over her, cherishing the opportunity to slowly explore her, to take his time. He ran his hands up and down her thighs, pushing up her shorts to touch as much skin as possible. Lagertha began to kiss him languidly, letting their lips remain in touch for as long as possible until they both had to pull back to gasp for air. They remained that way for a while, Athelstan’s hands moving from her legs to her waist, slipping under her shirt and touching the warm sensitive skin there, tickling over her ribs and teasing the undersides of her breasts. When Ragnar stirred in his sleep beside them Lagertha pulled away.

“Wait.” She said.

She shifted so she could bend down over Ragnar, and with a mischievous look in her eyes she rucked up his shirt, trialing her fingers teasingly over the hardness of his abs. Ragnar clearly felt it, moving toward the touch even in sleep.

Catching on to Lagertha’s plan, Athelstan reached out and thumbed the other man’s nipple, watching as it hardened.

Their ministrations were clearly having an effect as Athelstan could see Ragnar’s hips begin to move minutely. Finally Ragnar opened his eyes

“You too have been having fun while I was asleep.” He said, taking in their flushed lips and Lagertha’s rumpled clothes.

“Yeah, but not too much fun. We saved that for you.”

“I’m touched.” He said, surging up to kiss Athelstan’s neck, sucking on the skin until Athelstan sighed, knowing there would be a mark there later.

For a few moment they were a mess of limbs and mouths and hands, trying to figure out what they wanted, how they wanted it and how to get there without having to stop touching.

Eventually they ended up with their clothes off, Athelstan lying on his back with Lagertha straddling him and Ragnar kneeling beside his head. They kissed over him as he dipped his fingers between Lagertha’s thighs, making sure she was wet and ready. He let out a moan at the sight of the two of them.

They parted and Lagertha reached over to her discarded shorts and produced a condom. Athelstan barely felt her slipping it on because he was distracted by Ragnar’s hard cock that was temptingly close to his lips. He opened his mouth and let his tongue run along the shaft, lapping at the head.  It felt amazing to have Ragnar between his lips, to suck at him and feel Ragnar’s hips jolt forward.  He would have been happy to stay that way for a long time but then the feeling of Lagertha sliding down onto him broke into his daze.

It felt as amazing as he ever could have imagined and he had to look, had to pull himself away from Ragnar to watch, looking down his body to where they were joined.

Lagertha’s legs were trembling slightly as she finally began to move and Athelstan grabbed hold of her thighs to keep himself from completely losing control.

“She loves this,” he heard Ragnar say, his voice a caress of its own, “Being on top, getting to control every movement. Getting to use you as her own personal sex toy.”

Athelstan reached down between them, compelled by want, and found her clit, giving her his fingers to rub against every time she moved and then he let his head fall to the side again. He let Ragnar push between his lips, sucked as he shallowly fucked his mouth. He had never done this before, knew he must be sloppy and over eager but Ragnar gasped out praise above him. Finally he pulled away from Athelstan’s mouth, stroking himself until he came across Athelstan’s pale  neck and collar bones.

Lagertha gasped out in surprised arousal, her hips stuttered and Athelstan could feel her pulsing around him and she bite her lip to try and keep from shouting her release and alerting his housemates to their activities. She pulled Athelstan’s own orgasm from him, running her hands up and down his sides as Ragnar kissed him through it.

They had settled into a happy, albeit sweaty, puppy pile when Lagertha gave a long stretch and sighed.

“Ok, the repair guys will be at our place soon, we should go.”

They found and put on their scattered clothes, occasionally pausing to kiss Athelstan who lay on the bed watching.

“We’ll see you late tonight right? Remember Ragnar wants to see that new Jason Statham movie.” Lagertha asked as she kissed his forehead one last time, “Let’s say 8ish at our place, assuming it’s no longer an oven by then?”

“It’s a date.” Athelstan said, feeling like he might finally be getting used to being this happy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some more fluffy porn BUT now i know how many chapters this is gonna be, and the next one will have ploty-ness! Hooray! selfbetad and all that nonsense

The days passed and got warmer and Athelstan found himself feeling more and more rooted in Lagertha and Ragnar’s lives, like a vine curling itself around a tree. More often than not he woke up in their bed instead of his and came home to their apartment at the end of the day. He was getting used to being allowed to have them, to being allowed to touch and be touched. To being allowed to be this happy.

Ragnar certainly had no qualms about the touching part, as he proved during Religion when his hand was wandering up and down Athelstan’s thigh. Athelstan was trying to focus on the lecture but for the life of him it felt impossible to remember anything about early Buddhist doctrine with Ragnar teasing him like this, His hand moved to Athelstan’s lower back, his fingers creeping below the edge of his jeans. Luckily at that moment Ragnar’s phone buzzed.

He looked at the text and frowned,  texting back quickly.

“Something wrong?” Athelstan asked.

“It’s Lagertha, she’s been having the shittiest couple of days.”

“Really, what happened?”

“Just all the little things going wrong you know: forgetting homework, spilling coffee on herself, pop quizzes. And on top of that she has three essays due today so she’s been going crazy trying to finish those. It sucks.” Ragnar gave him a playful look, “Hey, I kinda have a plan to cheer her up, you wanna help.”

“Yeah, what’d you have in mind?”

“I want to make her dinner. You know something homemade, not just take out. I can’t do much but my mom taught me how to make a mean spagehetti and meatballs. You wanna do dessert?”

“If you can get me a brownie mix, I’ll do it.”

That night when Lagertha came home from class she was greeted by Athelstan and Ragnar standing in front of a table loaded with spaghetti and garlic bread. The room was filled with the  scent of the brownies cooking in the oven and the sound of one of her favorite records playing.

She dropped her bag with a thud and for a moment Athelstan was worried, but then she rushed over and managed to hook one arm around each of them, pulling them in towards her. They surrounded her while she let out a shocked laugh.

“Surprise?” Athelstan said jokingly.

“Surprise is right,” she pulled back from them slightly to turn towards the kitchen, “Are those brownies I smell?”

“Made by yours truly,” Athelstan said, “with some help from Ghirardelli.”

“You guys are amazing” she said, sagging back into their arms.

They sat down to a lively and delicious dinner full of warm bread and spicy tomato sauce and laughter. Lagertha had looked stressed and distracted when she had first come in, but as they ate she brightened back up to her normal self and it made Athelstan feel good to see it.

After dinner they ended up on the couch in various positions eating brownies and listening to Al Green pouring out of the record player. Athelstan balanced his plate on his stomach while he lay with his head in Lagertha’s lap, his legs draped over the end of the couch. Lagertha took the opportunity to run her fingers through his hair while she licked the last chocolate-y remnants from her fork(she really likes his hair and Athelstan has found that he likes her toying with it almost as much as a Labrador puppy loves belly rubs). Ragnar was on her other side, his head on her shoulder.

“I have the best boyfriends ever.” Lagertha sighed happily.

Athelstan stilled for a moment. Up until not they hadn’t really put a label on what they were. They hadn’t really avoided labels either, and if anything their little display in front of Rollo clearly showed that Lagertha and Ragnar didn’t care what anyone else thought. But none of them have used the words yet and Athelstan thought in some ways that that had been for his benefit. They were taking things slow for him.

But Lagertha’s simple statement was like having a match struck inside him and letting the flame grow and spread slowly warming him. It felt wonderful.

He had  boyfriend and a girlfriend.

His girlfriend Lagertha, the kickass feminist who knew all the lyrics to Ziggy Stardust, and his boyfriend Ragnar who was a star quarterback and loved James Joyce and wrote beautiful short stories. As simply as that, things seemed to slot into place, as though they had just been waiting to hear the right words.

He could tell that the other two felt it as well. That night there was an urgency to their touches as they made their way to bed, a desperation to communicate this new thing that was between them trying to say to one another, _I know_ , _I know_.

Ragnar bent Athelstan over on all fours as Lagertha sat at the head of the bed, watching with blown pupils, teasing her nipples. Ragnar pressed himself along Athelstan’s back, skin to skin.

“Do you want---?” he breathed into Athelstan’s ear

“Yes.” Athelstan answered immediately, “Please---”

While Ragnar grabbed the lube, Athelstan busied himself with kissing his way up Lagertha’s legs. When Ragnar was behind him again and he felt press a slicked finger against his hole he purred his approval against her inner thigh. 

Athelstan spread his legs further apart as Ragnar opened him, pushing back against Ragnar’s finger as he began to teasingly taste Lagertha. His tongue went faster and faster against her as Ragnar added one finger and then another. Athelstan had to pull back to gasp at the fullness. Lagertha cupped his face, stroking his flushed cheeks. 

“Ok?” She asked. 

He nodded. She kissed him as Ragnar put on a condom and pulled his fingers out. He could feel Ragnar’s breath on the back on his neck as he slid inside him, stroking his thigh. 

After that things were a blur of movement and sensation and heat and filthy sounds coming from his own mouth and theirs. While Ragnar thrust into him he felt Lagertha slide down and spread her thighs around him. She reached down to spread a condom over him, then let her hand wander further to where he and Ragnar were joined, trailing her fingers along both of them and making them both gasp in surprise. 

“Fuck—Lagertha” Ragnar moaned. 

She took the hint, moving so Athelstan could push into her. 

It was almost too much, being pushed and pulled between them, but they felt so connected. It was like they were all trying to be as a close as possible, trying to feel each other, every movement. 

Ragnar grabbed one of Athelstan’s hands and together guided them so they were both stroking Lagertha’s clit and her hips surged up to greet them. She came that way, her head thrown back, her hair spilling across the pillow, her gaze on the both of them as they fucked. Feeling her clench around him nearly pushed Athelstan over the edge. When she pulled away Ragnar quickly took him in hand, swooping down to nip at the back of his neck and Athelstan came, his back bowed as he pushed back onto Ragnar’s cock. 

As he came down he rose to his knees and twisted so he could kiss Ragnar. Lagertha pulled herself up to join them and Ragnar came that way, with both their mouths on him. 

If there was anything threesome sex was it was messy. Usually in a wonderful way but nonetheless messy.  Yet Athelstan couldn’t care that night as they took turns washing off and made their way back to bed one by one. Because when he finally slid under the sheets with them it felt like home.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dramatic plotiness! Non-graphic injuries in this chapter so be warned. Also Rollo being an asshole. Also I know very little about football or the specific injury that occurs.

 

The night of Ragnar’s big game the air was humid and warm. The stands were filled with a sea of people dressed in school colors, with the notable exception of Lagertha who was proudly sporting her ‘Fuck the Patriarchy’ t-shirt, and Athelstan who had just forgotten. They were seated only two rows back from the field and occasionally Ragnar would glance over at them in the stands and give them a wink. They were both primarily there for Ragnar and whenever he did anything Athelstan and Lagertha cheered the loudest. Otherwise they were content to sip beer enjoy an evening in the open air.

Without even thinking about it they touched each other in subtle ways, a hug and a kiss on the cheek when they celebrated, an arm around a shoulder a hand on a knee.

The game drew to a close and though the two teams were very evenly matched it looked as though theirs would win.

“I hope you’re enjoying your first football game.” Lagertha said.

“Surprisingly I am. Although that’s probably the company more than anything.”

Lagertha beamed at that and he had to kiss her, had to try and capture that smile against his lips.

And just as he pulled away he felt someone press against his back.

He turned around and looked up to see Rollo looming over the two of them. The look on his face could only be described as disgust. He looked past Athelstan to sneer at Lagertha.

“So, still hanging out with your little fuck toy?” he said over the roar of the surrounding crowd.

Lagertha stepped towards him, her jaw clenching in anger.

“He has a name. And piss off Rollo, it’s none of your business.”

“It is my business if you’re fucking around on my brother.”

“You know that’s not what’s happening dickhead!”

“Whatever’s happening it’s fucking sick and I’m sure you tricked him into it somehow.”

“Oh, what I’m a fucking witch now?” Lagertha replied derisively.

“No, you’re a whore.”

“Excuse me!?” Athelstan said, and despite how fast his heart was beating it came out as almost a growl.

Rollo grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pressed his face threateningly close to Athelstan’s.

“You got something to say cocksucker?”

And then, just as it had the night he had first seen Lagertha and Ragnar together, many things happened all at once.

First Rollo moved his hand up and clenched it around Athelstan’s throat forcing him to gasp for air.

Second was that Lagertha saw this, and kicked Rollo in the crotch.

The third and most important thing that happened was that Ragnar, in the middle of the game, out of the corner of his eye, saw both those things happened. And for a second he forgot about the ball in his hand, he forgot about the other players on the field. And that second was long enough for him to be tackled to the ground.

Back in the stands Athelstan and Lagertha watched as Ragnar fell to the ground.

And stayed on the ground. His body limp and lifeless.

\------------------

They drove behind the EMT’s in Ragnar’s car on the way to the hospital. Lagertha was talking constantly, about how she had told Ragnar time and time again how dangerous that stupid game was, how it wasn’t worth the scholarship, how she had always said that the school had bought his life, but behind her angry words Athelstan could tell she was worried.

Athelstan was quiet, trying to focus on driving, and ignoring all the fears running through his brain. In the crowd of people that had rushed the field after Ragnar had fallen he had thought he heard the EMT’s say something about a concussion, but how bad would it be? He gripped the steering wheel harder; it was no use going down that road now.

As they reached the hospital Lagertha quieted too, seeming to run out of steam.

Lagertha was Ragnar’s emergency contact and she had to fill out some paperwork before they would be able to see him. Her hand shook as she wrote and Athelstan kept her other hand held tightly in his own, steadying her.

Finally they were shown to Ragnar’s bed.

Pure relief rushed through Athelstan when he saw Ragnar sitting up, looking somewhat worse for the wear, but with his piercing blue eyes open and bright. Lagertha rushed to his bedside, never letting go of her iron grip on Athelstan’s hand, pulling him along behind her. He could tell she wanted to lunge forward and wrap her arms around him, but remembered his injury at the last minute and settled for leaning in and kissing him on the forehead. Athelstan understood how she felt and had to be content with resting his free hand on Ragnar’s knee.

“How bad is it?” Lagertha asked the nurse who was setting up Ragnar’s IV.

“It’s a relatively mild concussion, he should be fine but we wanna keep him overnight for observation just to make sure.”

They thanked her and she left them alone to talk. Lagertha and Athelstan pulled up chairs to the side of the bed and for a moment no one said a thing. Lagertha broke the silence.

“Never. Do. That. Again.” She said, pressing her forehead against Ragnar’s. Her voice was light but her eyes were wet.

Ragnar chuckled lightly, lying back and gazing at both of them.

“I’ll try.” He said. The he reached up and ran a finger over Athelstan’s neck. Athelstan didn’t know why until he felt a twinge of pain and realized what Ragnar must be seeing: bruises from Rollo’s hand.

“Don’t worry,” Lagertha said, “Rollo’s much more bruised and in a much more painful area.”

That proclamation broke the tension and set them all laughing. Ragnar would be ok Athelstan thought, finally letting himself relax.

Ragnar was well on his way to getting back to his normal self, but it was clear that he was still tired and weak and that, combined with the pain killers he’d been given, soon had his eyes slipping closed.

They watched his breathing slow and Lagertha turned towards him.

“Thank you. For just---keeping me together.”

They didn’t need to even discuss the fact that they were staying the night, but Athelstan could tell they were still wired from the adrenaline of the evening.

“Hey, why don’t I go back to the apartment and get some homework and stuff. We’re probably not gonna be getting a lot of sleep.”

“That would be amazing.”

Athelstan tried to get up, but stopped.

“…it would be a little easier to do that if I could get my hand back.”

Lagertha laughed, letting go of the hand she had unknowingly still been clutching.

Athelstan drove through the dark, empty streets, enjoying the peaceful quiet after so much turmoil. At one point he almost turned to head back to his house to pick up some things for himself before realizing that his backpack and pretty much all of his school things were at Lagertha and Ragnar’s apartment. At home.

When he got there and turned on a light he was greeted by a chorus of mews and meows as Bjorn and Gyda greeted him curiously.

“Hey guys,” he murmured and knelt down to let them rub against him and crawl up onto his lap. He let himself be comforted by the two warm furry bodies for a moment before getting back up.

He made sure the cats had food and water and then set about gathering his and Lagertha’s things. Doing homework would be better than doing nothing. Once he had both their backpacks stocked up he headed back.

Lagertha had moved to the other side of the bed by the time he returned, a cup of coffee in her hand, and one on his chair waiting for him. They tried to distract themselves, tried to do homework, do anything but dwell on the fear that had burst in on the evening so suddenly.

Athelstan was surprised to wake up in the wee hours of the morning, a book still open on his lap and leaning back in his chair with a crick in his neck. He blinked a few times and looked over to see Lagertha sleeping with her arms and head pillowed on the edge of the hospital bed. Ragnar was awake and running his fingers through her hair. He looked over at Athelstan when he woke.

“Everything’s ok,” he whispered, “go back to sleep.”

And he did.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! This isn’t even really a full chapter more like an epilogue, just wanted to tie things up. I’m just so happy that people actually read this and liked it, so thanks for that. I may write some more stories in this AU at some point, we’ll see.

The three weeks after Ragnar’s concussion were a whirlwind. It was the end of the semester and there were papers to be written, all-nighters to pull and exams to take with fingers crossed. The threesome tried to make time for each other but it was difficult. Sometimes the most they could manage was grabbing coffee or lunch together and even then there wasn’t  a lot of talking, just a lot of stuffing their faces and lustful gazes that said, “if I weren’t so crazy stressed I would be banging your brains out right now”. Which helped. One night, after staying up way too late in the library finishing a research paper, Athelstan decided he couldn’t stand going back to his own lonely bed so he wandered, half asleep back to Lagertha and Ragnar’s. When Ragnar opened the door in his boxers an apology for the late hour was on Athelstan’s lips, but all that came out was,

“I think my brain is about to fall out of my head.”

Ragnar laughed, puling him into a hug and guiding him into bed.

Needless to say, the day that they were all finally done with their exams was a day for celebration. The day was warm and sunny so celebration meant hot greek food underneath a tree on campus.  They sat in a triangle with the food in the middle of them, sharing and picking morsels off each others plates. When Lagertha was finished she turned to Athelstan.

“Sooo…” she said and for the first time since he had known her he though she sounded a little nervous, “We kind of have a proposition for you.”

“Oh?” he said, curious.

“Not the sexual kind unfortunately. Although we have some of those too.” Ragnar joked. Lagertha rolled her eyes.

“Anyway, the apartment a few doors down from us is opening up. It’s a corner apartment, two bedrooms and it’s bigger than ours…”

When she trailed off and Athelstan still looked a little confused, Ragnar continued,

“Big enough for a king sized bed in one of those bedrooms and big enough to add another bookshelf in the living room. Big enough for three people.”

Athelstan felt his heart jump.

“Oh!”

“I mean you already spend most of your time at our place, and you told me your lease was expiring, and it would mean we could spend the summer together—-“ Ragnar began.

“Are you kidding? I would love to!” Athelstan said, a smile on his face that felt like it would never leave.

Lagertha gave a high pitched squeal of happiness and tackled him to the grass with a  hug and Ragnar followed.

Which was how Athelstan found himself, a week later, piling his few belongings into Ragnar’s car. He had sold the few pieces of furniture that had been in his room or given them to his housemates to keep for the next occupant. He would still have to pay two more months rent unless they could find a sub-letter, but it was worth it to be able to move in to his new home. He had been left with his clothes, his books and some posters and photos from his walls. With Ragnar’s help they were loaded up in no time and unpacked just as quickly when they got to the apartment. Since they lived in the same building Ragnar and Lagertha’s move had been relatively painless but there were still a few boxes hanging around. As Athelstan brought up the last box and stepped through the door Lagertha came to take it from him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Ragnar was in the kitchen opening a few beers to rewards them for their hard work.

And as he stood in the doorway, Athelstan imagined coming home to this everyday. Imagined opening the door, being greeted by a kiss from Lagertha, a hug from Ragnar, even a few happy meows from the cats. He imagined waking up here, in their new big bed and going through the morning rituals, all three of them stumbling about searching for coffee and showers and exchanging gentle early morning touches. He imagined spending evenings here curled up on the couch watching movies nestled against Ragnar’s side or lying in Lagertha’s lap. He imagined thinking of this, and of them, as home.

He couldn’t wait.


End file.
